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livist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
SCREAMING. I loved this book.
Darker Shade of Magic was a bit slow, which I often attribute to the world building. The plot was still good and honestly it felt a bit self contained.
I am so happy to have finished this book at time where the next one is already published because that cliffhanger. OOOOOOOOOF.
All my complaints about the first book are resolved and then some. The characters get more fleshed outbecause they have time to breathe in a non life threatening situation….at first. Their personalities really shine through and the sass they give each other is so endearing.
The character motivations are clear and make sense.Like for Holland, I so wanted him to be well and good and in his own way he just wants to do right by his people no matter the cost.
I love the diversity in this book. I love that there’s a gay romance that while isn’t the predominant/main romance, it still happens on page, it isn’t a foot note or after thought. It isn’t something that’s lightly alluded to.
That said parts of this book was torturous in that all I wanted was for the main romance to get moving but it made sense why it didn’t,and made more sense when they finally did. And it made their reunion that much sweeter.
And Kell my grumpy boy is also best big brother. His hatred for Alucard is because Alucard broke his brother’s heart, it’s such an intense hatred, you’d think it was his own.
Kell’s relationship with the king and queen is so heartbreaking. When the king hugs him I had hope and it was dead before it started.
The only thing that bothered me a wee bit was Lila’s sudden jump to near master magician. Although I guess upon further reflection it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. I like how it’s explained she fights only out of necessity rather than for fun unlike most of the tournament competitors.
When she finally decided to dress up for Kell, my heart sang!! I also love that she still wore pants and boots underneath.
Actually I wasn’t fond of I’m not like the other girls comment at the beginning but at least she kind of comes around to it a bit.
I really feel like both characters complement each other. Lila has done so much growing and Kell as well in his own way.
I’m also so happy there’s a spinoff series because I adore these characters.
Darker Shade of Magic was a bit slow, which I often attribute to the world building. The plot was still good and honestly it felt a bit self contained.
I am so happy to have finished this book at time where the next one is already published because that cliffhanger. OOOOOOOOOF.
All my complaints about the first book are resolved and then some. The characters get more fleshed out
The character motivations are clear and make sense.
I love the diversity in this book. I love that there’s a gay romance that while isn’t the predominant/main romance, it still happens on page, it isn’t a foot note or after thought. It isn’t something that’s lightly alluded to.
That said parts of this book was torturous in that all I wanted was for the main romance to get moving but it made sense why it didn’t,
And Kell my grumpy boy is also best big brother. His hatred for Alucard is because Alucard broke his brother’s heart, it’s such an intense hatred, you’d think it was his own.
Kell’s relationship with the king and queen is so heartbreaking. When the king hugs him I had hope and it was dead before it started.
The only thing that bothered me a wee bit was Lila’s sudden jump to near master magician. Although I guess upon further reflection it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was. I like how it’s explained she fights only out of necessity rather than for fun unlike most of the tournament competitors.
When she finally decided to dress up for Kell, my heart sang!! I also love that she still wore pants and boots underneath.
Actually I wasn’t fond of I’m not like the other girls comment at the beginning but at least she kind of comes around to it a bit.
I really feel like both characters complement each other. Lila has done so much growing and Kell as well in his own way.
I’m also so happy there’s a spinoff series because I adore these characters.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
reasek's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
Moderate: Violence
micallab's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
lauramcc7's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Murder, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
readingwithkaitlyn's review
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Alcohol, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Mental illness
Moderate: Misogyny, Grief, Classism, Suicidal thoughts, and Confinement
Minor: War, Vomit, Terminal illness, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Sexual content, Torture, Animal death, and Child abuse
azsm's review against another edition
adventurous
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I feel like this book could have been shorter. A lot of build up just to cut of on an after credit sense type shi*.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Alcoholism, Self harm, and Violence
sandwiiche's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
hello what was this?? i waited so long to read about the tournament but it ended being like 20% of the book??? also where was the character development? i just felt like nothing happened in this book and that it was all filler
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Violence
taylorreads17's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
mil_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
erebus53's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a read that I made for TheStoryGraph Onboarding challenge for 2024; the idea was that I browse a user "similar to myself", and read something that they rated as a 5 Star read. I had to scroll through quite a few of their 5 Star reads to find something I hadn't read yet! And lo, it's part 2 of a series I read part 1 of so I was enthused by the idea.
Kel and Rhy are doing some messy stuff... their love lives are even worse.
I was amused in this one to see some of the development of Delilah Bard, a waif from Grey London who doesn't have any training in magical skill, there having been little to no magic to speak of in her home lands. Crewing up with the dashing (and hilariously named) Alucard Emery, she learns some magical stuff and picks up some local lingo.
In a spiral that has me feeling suspicious about her impulsive and dauntless character she decides to not let anything stand in her way as she kicks *rs* and, occasionally, takes names.
Big tournament.. intrigue.. stuff happening in the alternate Londons as one king dies and another rises, and another is formed.. it all looks like the set up for even more exciting happenings in the next chapter.
Honestly.. some of the reasons these kids do stuff just seem completely OUT THERE... but the convoluted mess that comes of these decisions makes for some tense and intriguing stuff.
My money is onDelilah following the same sort of path as Willow from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, making pacts with dark forces and going full Darth Rosenberg, in the next one. at least that's my guess.
Kel and Rhy are doing some messy stuff... their love lives are even worse.
I was amused in this one to see some of the development of Delilah Bard, a waif from Grey London who doesn't have any training in magical skill, there having been little to no magic to speak of in her home lands. Crewing up with the dashing (and hilariously named) Alucard Emery, she learns some magical stuff and picks up some local lingo.
In a spiral that has me feeling suspicious about her impulsive and dauntless character she decides to not let anything stand in her way as she kicks *rs* and, occasionally, takes names.
Big tournament.. intrigue.. stuff happening in the alternate Londons as one king dies and another rises, and another is formed.. it all looks like the set up for even more exciting happenings in the next chapter.
Honestly.. some of the reasons these kids do stuff just seem completely OUT THERE... but the convoluted mess that comes of these decisions makes for some tense and intriguing stuff.
My money is on
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Violence, Death, Drug use, and Murder